The Manges Tribute Album – Mom’s Basement Records presents The Vapids

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After alternating European and US bands, now it’s time to head for Canada and introduce the Vapids. Well, I honestly don’t think they really need a big introduction, so rather than go over their bio, I’ll briefly talk about my relationship with Jimmy and the Vapids. I still remember when I first discovered The Point Remains The Same it was like receiving an electroshock: Jimmy & Co succeeded in the arduous task of making an extremely good record free of choruses, melodies and any standard structure in the composition of a punk rock song: something unique and rare in a genre that tends to homologate anything. It was during the first Punk Rock Raduno that I finally had the pleasure of meeting Jimmy and since then a great and sincere friendship was born that goes beyond the simple common passion for punk rock.It’s interesting to understand the plot that comes from the contribution of the Vapids to the tribute: how will a band that has made anti-melodies its warhorse to cover a band such as the Manges? We discussed about it with Jimmy, singer and guitarist of the band who first told us about their correlation with the Manges “When I discovered the Manges in the mid-nineties, it was like a mind altering experience. Things were just uncanny. Here we are, both bands, started in 1993, influenced by exactly the same kinda music and bands, putting out our own records, dedicated to everything DIY. Even more so, Andrea and I were born on the same day in the same year, both sing and play guitar (the same guitar as of this year!) we both strangely look like famous Hollywood superstars (me-John Cusack, Andrea- George Clooney) we both are kinda short, we both quit smoking in the same year, we both drive Blue mid-size cars, we both think that G-SHARP is the best key for punk rock songs (because then the E chord is on the dive every time) I mean, the similarities between us two are just undeniable. As for the band as a whole, There is just no denying the importance they are to our punk rock universe. Great songs, great guys, dedication (now more than ever), the list just goes on. And the fact that the band just gets better every year. God bless the internet, and god bless THE MANGES“.
But now is the time to unveil a curious anecdote about the piece chosen by Vapids and Jimmy always tells us about it “Andrea suggested this song especially for us (The Vapids). He told me that his original version of the song (Secret Agent In East Berlin) was a ballad type song, slower than usual, and much much different than how it appears on the Go Down album. He told me that he thought our own slow songs were some of his favorite slow punk rock songs ever. As word got out about the tribute record, it was hard for me to decide what song to do, so I just asked him what he’d think was the best choice for us, and I got the story about the song, and he thought it was best for us. The original version on Go Down is a perfect example of the simple fast magic that the Manges have. The song rules. Our version is something of an acquired taste. I’ve been told it sounds like “cherry bomb” by the Runaways”
I was lucky enough to listen the song in preview last year on Sunday Post-Punk Rock Raduno: as already anticipated by Jimmy is a new interpretation of the song but trust me, the cover really rules!